Ask a Stoner: Is Pot Smoke Harmful to Dogs?

Dear Stoner: I always feel so bad for dogs when people blow smoke in their faces. I can tell they don’t like it. Are they getting high, or is it just irritating them?Money Monet

Dear Monet: Both — but if I had to pick one, I’d say the dog is mainly irritated. Although some low-dose, CBD-only products have helped older dogs with joint problems, THC ingestion is largely problematic for canines. Most research done about dogs ingesting marijuana has focused on them accidentally eating it — but blowing secondhand smoke in the face of man’s best friend is a definite dick move. Most dogs hate smoke in their faces (though I have seen rare exceptions), and it can cause them major discomfort.

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First off, a dog’s tolerance and metabolism can’t handle THC the way a human’s can, and it only gets worse for smaller breeds. Their equilibrium can be thrown off-kilter for nearly 12 hours, and they can experience trouble breathing, low blood pressure, abnormal heartbeat and nausea — and that’s just scratching the surface. People, I know it might’ve seemed funny in high school, but please stop blowing clouds in your pets’ faces. They hate you for it. Have a question for our Stoner? E-mail marijuana@westword.com.